Page 920 – Good Times

La Onda

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April 5, 2016

If some folks feel that a vegan option is limiting, they haven’t been looking hard enough—especially in Santa Cruz.
La Onda is a completely vegan, healthy snack that owner Taran Rowe envisioned as an alternative to hummus. The spreads are almond-based, and she’s finding that they can be used on lots of different foods. She offers a couple of tasty flavors for folks (vegans or otherwise) to sample. We asked Rowe about the Santa Cruz-based product, which can be found at various grocery stores and farmers markets around the county.

What’s La Onda mean?

TARAN ROWE: La Onda means “the curve of the ocean wave.” It also means “new wave.” It’s an inspiration behind my product. It’s a new wave of snacking. I developed the product while I was living in Central Mexico. I took a year and a half off and moved down there. I got really into food and vegan snacking. That’s kind of how this came about.

Why almonds?

Almonds are one of my favorite nuts. I feel like they have a really unique, neutral taste. I’m also interested in how they have all these heart-healthy benefits. I’m a big believer in good fat, and almonds are packed with good fats and vitamin E. It blends really well with all the over-savory ingredients.

Your website says you are ‘re-inventing the way we look at food.’ Explain.

I’m the kind of person, like most of American culture, that’s really big on snacking. So I feel like I wanted to put something out there really thoughtfully creative. I have my ingredients listed at the top of the container. It’s one of the first things you look at, exactly what’s in your snack. I feel like with a lot of snacks, the ingredients are kind of hidden on the side. I also think the word “vegan” gets a bad rap. People can use this with their veggies or their crackers. Through the process of making this, I’ve had a lot of feedback from customers that are using it as pizza sauce, pasta sauce, salad dressing. It was originally created as a hummus alternative for dip. It’s also great as a dairy substitute. You can use it instead of mayo. It has a fun texture, so it adds a crunch. Put it in pasta. It’s also really spreadable and creamy.

What are your flavors?

Right now, I have three flavors in most of my stores: roasted garlic, original and habanero. I have one that’s kind of a seasonal flavor, a sesame ginger flavor. Also, in different seasons, I’ll make whatever’s in stock at the farmers markets. Sometimes I’ll create a flavor around that. The original, I would describe it as the perfect blend of a hummus and a vegan cheese. It’s a little more creamy in comparison to a hummus, but has the cheesy, bold flavor.

415-961-3598, eatlaonda.com.

Opinion

Steve Palopoli

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April 5, 2016

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EDITOR’S NOTE

The last couple of weeks, I’ve had a kind of fever. I might just chalk it up to the effects of putting out what, as far as anybody can remember, is the biggest issue in Good Times’ 41-year-history. I can’t really blame that, though, because I get this particular delirium every year around this time. Like earlier this week, when I suddenly found myself eating a burrito at Tacos Moreno for the first time in at least a year. Why? Oh, right, because while poring over the list of Best of Santa Cruz ballot winners multiple times, my brain stored away the fact that they had won first place for Best Burrito in Santa Cruz, and sent me there.
After I finished, I walked down the block back to my car and passed Montgomery’s Barber Shop. I seriously found myself staring in the window, slack-jawed, as if in some kind of fugue state (luckily, they were closed). Why? Oh yeah, must be because they won Best Barbershop. On the drive back, I passed Samba Rock Acai Café. Something clicked in my brain again: runner-up, Best Acai.
And it’s like that all the time while we’re putting together the Best of Santa Cruz County issue—suddenly the places and people who fill up these pages jump out to me whenever I look in their direction. I feel kind of like Neo in The Matrix, except instead of knowing kung fu, I know to go to Sanford’s Martial Arts (Best Martial Arts winner!) to learn karate.
Pretty soon, it’ll pass, and I’ll go back to experiencing Santa Cruz in a reasonably normal way. But in the meantime, I should probably make the most of it. If you see me sharing a Gary’s Snappy Dog with Best Life Coach Janette Valentino while getting a mani-pedi at Tracy’s Nails, you’ll know why.
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

Winter Shelter Program Ends
Re: “Cold Shoulders” (GT, 2/10): Nearly 400 people are about to lose a place to sleep, eat and shower. That’s the number of people who used the Winter Shelter Program between Nov. 15 and Mar. 21. This program provides temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County during the coldest and wettest months of the year. The program ends April 1.
While the staff has operated the program for many years and has previously experienced the hard reality of ending the program, knowing that participants have no other place to sleep this year is especially poignant for me because I’m in charge of winding down operations. As the new executive director of Homeless Services Center, I have the agonizing task of closing the program, knowing full well that most of these men, women and families will be sleeping rough when the program ends. They’ll need to find a safe place to sleep, a place where they won’t be given a ticket for sleeping, a place where their belongings are safeguarded, a place to eat, a place to shower and use a bathroom, and a place to stay warm and dry so their already fragile health won’t worsen.
During February, 76 people used the Winter Shelter each night on average, and we had a few nights when the population was in the high 90s. The Winter Shelter has a maximum capacity of 100. As of March 21, a total of 8,465 bed nights were occupied. For the 137 nights that the program was open, people were able to sleep in a safe place, take a hot shower, and enjoy a nutritious dinner and breakfast. Now that the program is ending, I can’t help but think “What about the other 228 nights of the year?”
The people served by the Winter Shelter are merely a fraction of the total number of people who are homeless in Santa Cruz County. According to the 2015 homeless census, there are nearly 2,000 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County and 84 percent of them are unsheltered.
What can be done between now and November, when, hopefully, but not with certainty, we will start another season of providing shelter during the coldest and wettest months of the year? It’s hard to answer this question, because Emergency Shelter funding is changing. The federal government has prioritized funding for housing, which is great, but it’s at the expense of funding “day services,” which include shelter, showers and meals. To be clear, I’m all for housing. I led the “180” Permanent Supportive Housing initiative for three years, and so far we’ve housed nearly 500 people who were chronically homeless, and more than 90 percent of those people are still housed. Housing is the foundation for people to start on their pathway to improved health, well-being, community integration, and independent living. But what happens in the meantime, while people are finding their pathway to housing? Shelter programs play an important part in this process.
At the Homeless Services Center, we provide residential shelter, transitional housing, supportive services, and medical respite care for more than 200 people. Every day we meet people where they are in their experience of homelessness, with compassion, dignity and respect. It’s heartbreaking to close the Winter Shelter Program knowing that people will have no safe place to sleep for the next 228 nights.
Phil Kramer | Executive Director, Homeless Services Center

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

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GOOD IDEA

MOVE IT, DONâ€™T LOSE IT
Anyone whoâ€™s ever tried moving houses at a popular time to relocateâ€”like, say, the end of Juneâ€”knows that it can be hard to find a moving truck. Thatâ€™s why itâ€™s a good idea that Eastside Santa Cruz will be getting a new neighborhood U-Haul dealer when Holiday Smog, which is at 1671 Capitola Road, offers the service.

GOOD WORK

PRESENT PREZ
Scotts Valleyâ€™s John Pecoraro got a big wish granted this month when he met presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail in Santa Barbara. Pecoraro, who is 44, suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and has a life expectancy of four months. Kudos to the Dream Foundation for making it happen.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

â€œNobody who ever gave his best regretted it.â€
-George Halas

Music Calendar Mar 30-Apr 5

GT Staff

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April 5, 2016

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WEDNESDAY 3/30

FUNK/ROCK

PIMPS OF JOYTIME

Pimps of Joytime has been described as a “post-genre” band, and I can’t say I disagree with the sentiment. With a solid base of funk and groove, the Brooklyn-based band has a fuzzed-out, rock quality that sounds more like the Black Keys than anything in the booming neo-funk movement. With electronic sensibilities that add an additional layer to the sound, the band, led by singer and guitarist Brian J, is indeed a bit hard to pin down. One thing is certain though: they get audiences jumping and spirits soaring. CAT JOHNSON
INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 479-1854.

FOLK

MOUTH OF BABES

The duo Mouth of Babes has been together for less than two years, but they’ve enraptured crowds wherever they go. In part, it’s their infectious, soulful folk songs. But it’s also the chemistry between the two ladies. They are both veterans of the modern folk scene, with Ty Greenstein coming from Girlyman and Ingrid Elizabeth coming from Coyote Grace. They harmonize beautifully together, and the in-between song banter is like watching two best friends sharing all of their inside jokes with the crowd. AARON CARNES
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $12/adv, $15/door. 335-2800.

FRIDAY 4/1

JAMGRASS

LEFTOVER SALMON

Long before phrases like “jamgrass” and “progressive bluegrass” were regular phrases in any roots music lover’s vocabulary, Leftover Salmon was playing a rocking blend of bluegrass, country, rock and jam that they dubbed “slamgrass.” Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, which has become a hotbed for forward-thinking bluegrass fusion acts, the band helped further the bluegrass movement and bring acoustic roots styles to mainstream audiences. On Friday, Leftover Salmon hits the Rio in what promises to be one of the great jamgrass shows of the year. CJ
INFO: 8 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $28/gen, $42/gold. 423-8209.

DESERT BLUES

SONGHOY BLUES

With rolling rhythms, trance-inducing melodies and electric instruments, desert blues from West Africa is among the most exciting and engaging of contemporary musical styles. Songhoy Blues puts its own twist on the genre, with a garage rock-meets-desert-R&B sound, inspired by rock legends Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles. The band plays to honor and celebrate its displaced people and culture, who were once among the most prominent of Mali’s many ethnic groups but have now been pushed to the margins. The music is the story of hope, struggle and resilience. CJ
INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 427-2227.

SATURDAY 4/2

ROCK

SWMRS

A long time ago—in the year 2004—in a city called Oakland, two kids not even old enough to get into a PG-13-rated movie watched Jack Black’s School of Rock and thought, “Hey, we should start a band!” Fast-forward to 2016, and the now foursome is rocking the charts with its own blend of pop melodies. Opening up for the Bay Area pop players are local acts Jackie Zealous and the Watergate Sandals to add a refined mix of surf and garage rock to keep your feet moving and your heart racing. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8:30 p.m. Catalyst Club, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $14/door. 429-4135.

SUNDAY 4/3

INDIE

CAR SEAT HEADREST

Depending on where you first heard of Car Seat Headrest, it’s either a brand new artist, or a grizzled veteran act. Both are true. Will Toledo, the sole consistent member of the group, is a young man, but he spit out a dozen records on Bandcamp between 2010 and 2015. Last year he signed to Matador and re-recorded some of his favorite tracks for them, and this year he has his first Matador record of new material coming out. The 23-year-old seems right at home at Matador, as echoes of Guided By Voices, Yo La Tengo and Pavement ring throughout his tunes. AC
INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

GARAGE

NIGHT BEATS

For a three-piece garage band, Seattle’s Night Beats really draw from a hodgepodge of influences. At times they dig into the early tripped-out LSD psych-rock records of the ’60s, other times it’s ’70s sludge, and there are even dominant traits of old-school R&B. The group excels at these genres, and are at their best when they mix them all up into something of their own making. They started in 2009, and have three LPs under their name, including 2016’s Who Sold My Generation. AC
INFO: 8 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $12/adv, $15/door. 335-2800.

MONDAY 4/4

JAZZ

CHRISTIAN McBRIDE AND THE MACK AVENUE SUPERBAND

With the rise of online distribution, 1999 wasn’t an auspicious year to launch a new jazz label, but Detroit’s Mack Avenue Records has thrived by documenting established masters (Gerald Wilson and Gary Burton) and rising stars. The label is deep enough to field a revolving cast of luminaries on its Superband tours, and the lineup that lands in Santa Cruz is particularly strong on the crowd-pleasing front. Led by bassist extraordinaire Christian McBride, the rhythm section features his longtime collaborator Carl Allen on drums and 26-year-old pianist Christian Sands. Alto saxophonist/flutist Tia Fuller and tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who’s better known for his work in R&B and pop, round out the quintet. ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $30/adv, $35/door. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 4/5

HIP HOP

YUNG LEAN

Swedish rapper and producer Yung Lean has been professionally dropping beats and mixtapes for the last three years, and he’s captivated the online world with hits like “Afghanistan,” “Hoover,” and “Miami Ultras.” For those not familiar with the current trends in Swedish hip-hop, Yung Lean has brought Thaiboy Digital, another country brethren, to warm up the audience with an intense mix of the country’s digital craze. MW
INFO: p.m. Catalyst Club, 1011 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz. $18/adv, $20/door. 429-4135.

IN THE QUEUE

SCOTT COOPER & THE BARRELMAKERS

Local Americana jam band. Thursday at Moe’s Alley

METALACHI

Heavy metal meets Mariachi. Friday at Catalyst

REVEREND LOVE JONES & THE SINNERS

Bay Area rock and soul. Friday at Pocket

STEEP RAVINE

Santa Cruz-born progressive bluegrass outfit. Saturday at Crepe Place

HEARTLESS

Northern California rockers pay tribute to legendary band Heart. Saturday at Don Quixote’s

Be Our Guest: Nolatet

A&E
Music

Cat Johnson

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April 5, 2016

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For years, the members of New Orleans-based supergroup Nolatet sat in on each other’s performances and, as the story goes, it was only a matter of time before they formed an outfit of their own.
Blending contemporary Crescent City jazz with second-line grooves, the band, comprising Johnny Vidacovich on drums, James Singleton on bass, Mike Dillon on vibraphone, and Brian Haas on piano, boasts a pedigree that includes work with a wide variety of styles and groups, including Garage A Trois, Les Claypool’s Fancy Band, and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. As Dillon puts it, “Musically speaking, the Nolatet is fearless.”

INFO: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 7. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $22/adv, $27/door. 427-2227. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Friday, April 1 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

News Briefs for the week of March 30

Local News

Jacob Pierce

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April 5, 2016

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News Briefs for the week of March 30, 2016

Breaking Ground

Some trees recently cut down in the Beach Flats added fuel to the burning resentment many gardeners feel against the city of Santa Cruz.
City workers were in the longtime community garden reorganizing the plots and preparing a portion of the land to be allocated back to the Seaside Company, which owns it. They were also implementing the changes that they had worked through with the gardeners, who have been fighting alterations since the Seaside Company announced their planned changes last year.
On Thursday, March 24, city officials mistakenly cut down three small trees that weren’t intended for removal, but were instead supposed to be moved. Santa Cruz will replace the three trees at the city’s expense, says Scott Collins, assistant to the city manager.
Staff had originally planned to give the plots to 23 longtime gardeners, but when five gardeners didn’t agree to sit down with the city, Collins says the land that would have gone to those five was given back to the Seaside Company.
Michael Gasser, who has been working to save as much of the garden as possible, says that all of this—the workers coming that day, the plots reverting to the Seaside Company, the trees being cut down—was a surprise. He says the bulldozers would have kept plowing into the garden plots, too, if activists who happened to be there that day hadn’t stopped them.
“I found myself breaking into tears when I saw the nopales broken down—and the fruit trees,” Gasser says. “This is like a body blow to the people who cared about this. It’s created a well of resentment.” JACOB PIERCE

Map Flap

Aptos is expecting a makeover with the Aptos Village project, but a lawsuit filed March 2 could slow down the development, which is slated to create 69 homes and 66,000 square feet of commercial space.
The 115-acre project led by Barry Swenson Builder has been in the works for decades. The project’s tentative map was approved by the county Board of Supervisors in 2012, with its final map in December. We Are Aptos, a neighborhood group of more than 200 Aptos residents, has filed a lawsuit saying that the documents left out community spaces people were expecting.
“We just want the development done well, and as such, to provide the community what has been promised,” says Becky Steinbruner, the founder of We Are Aptos.

Clos LaChance

Josie Cowden

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April 5, 2016

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When I’m drinking dessert wine, I always have to have some chocolate handy. It’s a tasty twosome that goes together gloriously well. Dessert wine is usually considered an after-dinner drink, but I often quaff it when I need a little sweet fix.
Founded by Bill and Brenda Murphy in 1992, Clos LaChance makes an abundance of excellent wines, including a superb Reserve Zinfandel 2012 Central Coast called Pépère. The winery was named LaChance in memory of Brenda’s father, Arthur LaChance—otherwise known to his seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren as “Pépère.” This Zinfandel dessert wine is called Pépère in his honor.
It’s a ruby beauty with an intriguing nose of dried fruits—cherry and blackberry, with a touch of apricot, cocoa and cinnamon. Some white pepper undertones add even more pizzazz to this lovely sweet Zin ($28). A delightful nectar that’s bursting with flavor, and with a higher alcohol content, similar to Port or Sherry, it’s a wine to be sipped and savored.
Clos LaChance recommends pairing this 100-percent Zin with blue cheese, pecan pie and toasted almonds, but I, of course, recommend chocolate.
Clos LaChance Winery, 1 Hummingbird Lane, San Martin, 408-686-1050. clos.com

Kissed By An Angel Wines

Kissed By An Angel Wines is celebrating its new tasting location in the Heavenly Roadside Café in Felton. They are hosting a grand opening from 2-6 p.m. on April 2 and 3, including some tasty light bites made by Heavenly’s talented chef. The Heavenly Roadside Café is at 1210 Mt. Hermon Road, Scotts Valley. 335-1210.

Dare to Pair

Cabrillo College’s culinary students are teaming up with Surf City Vintners for the seventh annual Dare to Pair food and wine competition—an opportunity to taste delicious food matched with dynamic wines. The event is from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 10, and takes place at various wineries on Swift and Ingalls streets in Santa Cruz. Tickets are $65 in advance and are available only at daretopair.org. All proceeds will benefit the Cabrillo College Culinary Arts program.

Sunset Clause

Local News

GT Staff

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April 5, 2016

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The state’s clocks sprang ahead one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 13, in an attempt to “save” an extra hour of daylight for spring, summer and early fall evenings. The semi-annual clock-fixing routine musters up semi-annual arguments, petitions and letters to change our collective mind about when the sun should come up. One particular Bay Area official is now heeding these calls.
If he gets his way we’ll never reset our clocks again.
Assemblymember Kansen Chu (D-San Jose) introduced a bill Feb. 19 which would allow all Californians to vote on whether to ax daylight-saving time. Assembly Bill 2496 has been a long time coming, according to Chu, who said he was originally approached with the idea last year, after the legislature submission deadline had already passed.

“I don’t think we need it anymore, it adds more confusion, and I don’t think the farmers need it either.”

Daylight saving time (DST) was first adopted by the United States in 1918, during World War I, in an effort to conserve energy. The move was roundly criticized by the general public, and the act would be repealed just two years later. However, states were granted the opportunity to continue to observe DST after its repeal. In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt re-enacted year-long daylight saving time to conserve energy usage during World War II, until 1945. After the war ended, most states rescinded it, until 1966 when most re-adopted it. In 2007, it was extended by five weeks, and now runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
If Chu’s bill makes it to voters and is approved, California would join just two other states that ignore the annual time change—Hawaii and Arizona. California adopted daylight saving time after the passing of a 1949 ballot initiative that shifted the hours in the hopes of increasing recreation time and decreasing energy costs for lights.
Chu was first approached by a group of constituents who are parents. They described their daily routine of putting their children to sleep, then waking them up for school the following morning, and how it became more strenuous because of the time change.
“It’s an archaic philosophy, and it’s really difficult to adapt to with how our schedules work these days,” agreed Heather Calderone, as she roamed the rainy streets of Campbell’s farmer’s market on a recent Sunday. “My daughter is in high school, and she has to get up at 5:30 in the morning, and during the springtime, she has to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to make up for the lost time. I don’t think we need it anymore, it adds more confusion, and I don’t think the farmers need it either.”
The farmers, at least those who fill the booths of Campbell’s market, agree with Calderone. Jose Carpio, of Rodriguez Farms in Watsonville, said for the first week of the change, they lose about an hour of their regular sales. Overall, he said, the change doesn’t impact his and his workers’ wallets that hard, but the overall confusion DST creates is enough to be rid of the hassle.
Luke Estrella, of Fifth Crow Farms in Pescadero, doesn’t necessarily disagree with DST opponents, but he appreciates the extra time he and co-workers receive from the spring time change, when his highest harvest takes place.
“We get more daylight earlier,” Estrella said. “Sometimes, during the fall, it’s not light enough for us to work at 7 a.m. I don’t enjoy adjusting my schedule with the hour change either, but it helps our business.”
Chu said he’s already garnered support from multiple assembly members, but declined to name names. However, he noted, some of the state legislators who support his bill work in the agriculture community themselves.
Other colleagues, Chu said, support the move away from daylight saving time, but would ultimately like to see a complete shift away from Pacific Standard Time (PST), to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). If this were to happen, days would stay light well into the evening, something residents believe would be better for their children and safety on the roads.
“I want to keep summer time, not winter time,” says Julie Davey, owner of Steepers tea store in downtown Campbell. “It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s dark in the morning, but I think being able to go outside in the evening and enjoy the fresh air would be more enjoyable.”
Chris Wondolowski, star and captain of the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team, said recently after a game that he too would appreciate more light into the evenings.
“I like sunlight, and any way we can get more sunlight would be great,” he said after the team’s 2-1 victory over the visiting Portland Timbers.
Perhaps the loudest argument in favor of Chu’s push to eliminate daylight saving time came from his senior constituents, who opined that the shift affects their medicine schedules. According to a 2014 research study authored by the news agency Reuters, an hour of sleep lost because of time changes can increase the odds of suffering a heart attack by 25 percent.
A laundry list of university studies make a compelling argument in favor of the elimination—between 1986 and 1995, fatal traffic accidents rose 17 percent on the Monday following the time switch, according to the University of Colorado. A 2006 report found daylight saving time led to a 1 percent overall rise in residential electricity use in Indiana, costing the state an extra $9 million. Perhaps coincidentally, 2006 was the same year the state implemented the use of daylight saving time. From 1983-2006, there was a 68 percent increase in lost working days due to workplace injury on the Monday following the time change.
Chu said he became aware of these facts and others during his research to put the bill together, and he’s now more sure than ever that doing away with the century-old tradition is better for the general health of the public.
“We’re trying to eliminate some potential health hazards from the populace,” he said. “Should the voters ultimately approve this, we wouldn’t be taking away sunlight from anybody. The hazard of having to change your clock, and your schedule, is what everyone stands to gain.”

Spiritual Awakening

Christina Waters

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April 5, 2016

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Soif, the deluxe wine bar and restaurant on Walnut Avenue downtown, will soon be offering cocktails. I got the call from Soif’s wine director John Locke last week providing insight.

“The addition of spirits and cocktails has been contemplated as a distant possibility for some time,” he says. Given the amount of extra revenue such an addition would bring, it had to have been an appealing possibility.
“We felt that if the change subverted our ability to continue a substantive, interesting and distinctive wine program, it was not worth it. Obviously we feel it can be a positive addition if executed with sufficient élan and creativity,” says Locke.
From her St. Paddy’s Day perch in Ireland, Soif owner Patrice Boyle was happy to comment about the upcoming liquor license: “We are aiming for a place where the drinks will be delicious and very interesting, providing new spiritual experiences all around.” Boyle—whose personal favorite tipples include, “great gin and good tonic,” as well as “single malt cask strength Scotch settled down with some lovely spring water”—also reminded me that her still waters run deep.
“I had started at Bonny Doon Vineyard just when Randall Grahm purchased the still. We distilled everything, from the wisteria growing on the porch to trying to make gin—and every manner of fruit,” Boyle says. She was a founder of the Artisan Distillers group (Germain-Robin brandy, St. George Spirits and others), and later was vice president of the American Brandy Association. Who knew?
Locke shed more light on the upcoming cocktail reality. “Probably no well drinks,” he says. “Probably no happy hour. Probably a few well-thought-out custom cocktails congruent with the gastronomic culture of the restaurant. Probably a superior and judicious selection of classic aged spirits, eau de vie, digestifs.”
The savvy Soif team notes that change happens. “Some new folks will come in who have not before. A bar seat might be harder to get … We must make the best of it,” says Locke. “And we think the best Martini in town will go a long way toward that goal.” Sign me up! This is not yet a done deal—weeks, maybe a month or so away. But Locke is confident that Soif “will slide nicely into the Santa Cruz cocktailing scene in its own unique way.” Do stay tuned. And while you’re thinking Soif, consider these two distinctive events: On Sunday April 3, from 3-5 p.m., you’ll have a chance to sample some iconic wines from Lebanon with Marc Hochar of Chateau Musar. Seriously intriguing wines. And on Sunday April 11, join Stephen Beaumier and Katy Oursler of Mutari for an outrageously different dinner starring chocolate and cocoa-derived ingredients in many still-to-be-invented forms. Check soifwine.com for details.

Taste of the Week

The soups at the Buttery Bakery just get better and better. Last week’s winner was a bold and delicious white bean and kale soup, enough for two plus a soft potato roll for $6. We added one of the Buttery’s fab kale salads with the freshly-made soup. You can, too. OK, we also added a Pecan Sandie cookie (with a plush chocolate rosette on top) and the signature Zucchini Muffin, so good you cannot believe it.
Dare to Pair spreads its tents for the seventh year, at the wine tasting rooms off Swift and Ingalls streets on Sunday, April 10, from noon until 3 p.m. Cabrillo College Culinary students will vie for honors by matching menus with wines from Surf City Vintners. $65 tickets provide tastings, plus an After Party at Equinox Champagne Cellars starting at 2:30 p.m. Details available at daretopair.org.

De-Cyphered

A&E
Music

Sam Working

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April 4, 2016

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Waiting anxiously for the respective music scenes to thaw as this year’s pseudo-winter comes to a close, traveling sound-lovers can finally rejoice at the countdown to festival season. But most would never dare to hope for a festival dedicated entirely to hip-hop music, especially not locally, with the “h-word” usually getting chased out of bars and venues left and right. Until now: April 2-3 brings the first-ever Santa Cruz Hip-Hop Festival.
“Musically, my main love is hip-hop—it does have a presence at some festivals, but it’s usually an afterthought, or all the artists are on during the day, before the big names,” says Santa Cruz Hip-Hop Festival organizer Mike Molda. “I wanted to create a festival where the spotlight would be totally on hip-hop, focusing on educating people about the art form and supporting local talent.”
The event will also include live painting and tagging from Meeting of the Styles, a San Francisco-based group that works with graffiti artists all over the world; performances by local dancers Beat Boxers; turntable “scratch” performers; and spoken word artists. “We really want to demonstrate a more conscious perspective of the hip-hop scene,” says Molda. “We want to show the older generation—where it especially gets a stigma—that it’s not all bad, it’s a lot of culture and love. We really want them to see the positivity.”
Even Bay Area underground hero Equipto, who will perform at the festival, recognizes the energy of a lineup like this coming together for the first time. He’s excited, he says, to perform alongside Otayo Dubb, A-1, the People’s Tree, and the many others in what he says is “one of my favorite places in Cali, no lie!”
Molda has curated an impressive lineup with a mix of established Bay Area lyricists and hungry young artists looking to make a name for themselves; here are a few of GT’s top picks.

The Cypher

While it’s not an artist or a performer, the Cypher will be a huge part of this event, onstage and off. In accordance with an ethos of respect and love, a cypher is a rap battle without the battle. Emcees gather together spitting “sixteens”(16 lines of text or “bars” make one verse), trading ideas instead of insults, and pushing each other to new lyrical heights for the enjoyment of onlookers.

Jeff Turner

One of the most prominent members of Team BackPack (a Bay Area-based cypher crew turned YouTube darlings) this emcee was instrumental in building its brand from the ground up. Known for his impeccable delivery, freestyle skills and deep lyrical content, Turner sounds like Ghostface Killah had a heart-to-heart with Q-Tip, but puts his own modern twist on the sound. He’s what any hip-hop purist would want from this lineup, and then some.

Eliquate

One of Santa Cruz’s best-known lyricists and performers, Elliot Wright is currently recovering from a recent spinal fusion surgery and has still found the time (and strength) to hit back with an all-new live ensemble. Sonically described as Atmosphere meets Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wright is known for his insane live presence and bulging neck vein—this guy leaves it all on the stage. “It’s not every day a group of true hip-hop enthusiasts come together and pull off something of this magnitude,” says Wright.

Alien Family

Combining freestyle skill, humor, and a dash of that grimy deep bass and bounce, emcees Catalyst and Obvi bring unfiltered, skillful lyricism and some good old-fashioned hip-hop head-bopping to this lineup. Where these guys go, the party follows.

Rappin 4 Tay

No festival, especially one focused on hip-hop, is complete without a real old-school heavy hitter, and emcee Anthony Forté, aka Rappin 4 Tay, is that in spades. After bursting onto the scene out of the Fillmore in 1991 with “Rappin 4 Tay is Back,” Forté made quite the name for himself with 11 albums over the next 13 years and his Bay Area-loving “Players Club.” Forté has worked with Tupac, Mac Dre, and Too Short; this is a chance to see a hip-hop legend at work.
Info: April 2-3, Camp Krem, Boulder Creek. Parking at 14700 W Park Ave., Boulder Creek
Free Parking for 3 people or more in car. Eventbrite.com. $30-$35.

Feeling It Out

A&E
Music

Aaron Carnes

-

April 4, 2016

0

Marco Benevento is an incredible pianist and an excellent songwriter, and he’s found a unique niche as a musician within the experimental rock, jazz and jam band worlds. But on Benevento’s new record, The Story Of Fred Short, he’s exploring something new: singing.
Technically, he started singing on his previous solo record, 2014’s Swift, but on The Story of Fred Short we get to hear Benevento grow more confident with this new instrument, and find nuanced ways to use it.
The new album sounds more like pop music than anything he’s released. Even on Swift, the music was still kind of synthy and jazzy, and his vocals were often buried. But the new record is incredibly infectious, with indie-rock influences and Benevento taking on actual hooks as a singer. It’s the kind of territory a new band would start out with, as opposed to, say, where a long-standing experimental artist would land on for his sixth solo record.
Album opener “In The Afternoon Tomorrow” is a catchy, feel-good tune that will inspire some sunny afternoon drives on the coast with the windows rolled down. Single “Dropkick,” while not quite as good, is another sing-along retro dance-rock tune that will be sure to get at least a handful of repeat listens.
Still, those familiar with Benevento’s career might be struggling with this new direction. His pre-solo work was pretty out there, in groups like Benevento/Russo, Garage A Trois, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and Bustle in Your Hedgerow. Even his early solo work, which is primarily instrumental (with occasional guest vocals) straddles a line between bands like indie-jazzers Tortoise and funky art-rockers Talking Heads.
His live shows in the past have relied heavily on extended improvised jams. Between Swift and The Story Of Fred Short, he’s now touring with a much more diverse live set, mixing up improvised indie-jams with short pop tunes. The new record doesn’t convey the full scope of the pianist’s true range.
The album title is a reference to his recording studio, Fred Short. Benevento records in his own studio, and releases music on his own label the Royal Potato Family. So perhaps he’s proving his willingness to go his own direction. Who would have expected a purely pop record from him even three or four years ago?
The first half of the new record is loaded with his poppier tunes, and the second half is a concept piece about a fictitious character named Fred Short. Those songs are sonically linked, and have a darker, and, dare I say, more experimental quality to them than the front half. Oddly enough, they don’t work as well as the pop tunes at the front of the record.
In an interview Benevento did with Jambase, he described the concept of Fred Short, which is just a made-up story about a guy. It seems to lack depth or even much thought—writing a half-concept album, even linking those songs, appears to be just another experiment. Like all of the various styles he’s played with in the past, like taking up singing, like dabbling more explicitly in pop music—it’s all an experiment. Even when it’s not as out there as he can get—and even when it doesn’t completely work—it’s all coming from that same adventurous spirit.
INFO: 8 p.m. on Friday, April 1, at Moe’s Alley. 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $14 advance, $18 door. 479-1854.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

WEDNESDAY 3/30

FUNK/ROCK

PIMPS OF JOYTIME

FOLK

MOUTH OF BABES

FRIDAY 4/1

JAMGRASS

LEFTOVER SALMON

DESERT BLUES

SONGHOY BLUES

SATURDAY 4/2

ROCK

SWMRS

SUNDAY 4/3

INDIE

CAR SEAT HEADREST

GARAGE

NIGHT BEATS

MONDAY 4/4

JAZZ

CHRISTIAN McBRIDE AND THE MACK AVENUE SUPERBAND

TUESDAY 4/5

HIP HOP

YUNG LEAN

IN THE QUEUE

SCOTT COOPER & THE BARRELMAKERS

METALACHI

REVEREND LOVE JONES & THE SINNERS

STEEP RAVINE

HEARTLESS

Breaking Ground

Map Flap

Kissed By An Angel Wines

Dare to Pair

Taste of the Week

The Cypher

Jeff Turner

Eliquate

Alien Family

Rappin 4 Tay